Electronic access control systems used for access control of physical spaces increase continuously in popularity. Many different topologies of such systems have evolved, of which one is when electronic lock devices are installed without a power supply. The lock devices may then be powered when a matching key device is inserted, using an electrical connection with the key device.
An issue exists in how lock devices are provided with up-to-date access rights. For example, if a person loses a key device, it should be easy and reliable for an operator of the access control system to bar the lost key device from gaining access to any lock devices of the access control system.
In the prior art, the key devices are updated using dedicated key update devices connected to laptop computers and/or mobile phones. While this can provide updated access rights to the key devices for provision to the lock devices, the key update devices are large and cumbersome, whereby the keys are not updated very often. This leads to compromised security since a significant amount of time can flow from an operator updating access rights and the updated access rights being propagated to all lock devices.
US 2012/0213362 A1 discloses a method of updating lock access data for an electromechanical lock. The lock is of a type capable of being actuated by a user desiring to open the lock with a key having electronic key data stored therein. Updated lock access data for the lock may be configured by an administrator from a remote site and communicated to the lock using public networks. According to the method, updated lock access data from the remote site for the lock is transmitted over a telecommunication channel to a mobile terminal. The updated lock access data is transmitted from the mobile terminal to the key using short-range wireless communication. When the user attempts to open the lock with the key, the updated lock access data as received from the mobile terminal is forwarded from the key to the lock. The lock verifies that the user is trusted and then accepts the updated lock access data as received from the key. However, this solution is cumbersome and requires that updated lock access data to be propagated to all locks to achieve a secure system.